Goldens are wonderfully energetic dogs that seem to want to play 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We would love to spend all time playing with them, but we still have jobs, families, and other aspects of lives to take care of, which means that our dogs can get quite lonely and bored.
An easy solution is to get another dog, but how would a pair of golden retrievers do in one house?
Are Golden Retrievers better in pairs? Golden Retrievers are better in pairs because they will keep each other’s company and spend all time playing together. Golden Retrievers always go along really well with other goldens, and getting a second dog could be a great way to give your dog the companionship they need.
If you are thinking of getting another golden to keep your first dog’s company, I do recommend it and I think it will be a great experience. However, you should know that it is not all good and there are pros and cons to a pair of golden retrievers in the house, so let’s take the time to briefly discuss this.
Why Are Golden Retrievers Better in Pairs – Pros and Cons
As we’ve already established, Goldens are indeed better in pairs, and even though it does come with its pros and cons, it’s usually a good idea to get a second dog if you can afford it financially and otherwise.
But why are goldens better in pairs?
The Pros of A pair of golden retrievers instead of one
They Can Keep Each Other’s Company
Goldens are very social animals and they don’t like being left alone. However, if you get a second dog, the two will be able to keep each other’s company even when you’re not at home and you won’t need to worry about it too much.
There are other things you should know about leaving them alone, so make sure to check our post on can golden retrievers be left alone here for a complete guide on what you should do.
It Makes Puppy Training Easier
Your first dog will be able to teach your second dog the rules of the house, how to behave, and the second dog will be able to quickly pick up on the commands as they see the first dog following them reliably.
It also makes potty training much easier as the second dog will simply follow the first dog and does his business in the same spots as the first dog. Dogs learn quickly from each other, so your second dog will learn a lot from the first dog but this is not an excuse to not train them yourself.
Ease the Stress and Anxiety
Goldens are prone to stress and anxiety, especially separation anxiety. One way to reduce your dog’s separation anxiety is to bring a second one into the family that can keep their company while you’re at work.
The dogs will also emotionally support each other and give each other the attention they need to stay calm and help ease their stress.
Double the Love
There are very few things better than one golden retriever and one of them is two golden retrievers!
If you think being snuggled and hugged by a golden retriever is awesome, just wait till you experience it with two instead of one.
If you have a big family, this will also mean that there is more love to go around and your kids will be able to enjoy the company of two dogs instead of one. You can learn here the 20 reasons that make golden retrievers always happy and friendly and why they are so good with everyone.
Save One More Life
What’s better than saving a life? Saving a second one! Adopting a second dog means you will be saving another life and giving this poor dog a chance to live the life they’re meant to live.
there are 3.9 million new dogs added to the animal shelters every year and 1.2 million of these are euthanized. Adopting another dog from your local animal shelter saves their life and creates space for other animals who desperately need it.
The Cons of a pair of golden retrievers
It costs more
Of course, having two golden retrievers instead of one means you have to pay more for food, toys, treats, and so on.
However, you should know that while it costs more, it doesn’t cost double as much to have two dogs instead of one.
That’s because your dogs can share many of their supplies. So, while you will do need to get double the dog food and treats, they can share some of the toys, Shampoos, and clippers. You will also do fine with just one dog monitor (check the Furbo Dog Monitor here – Amazon) if you teach them both how to use it and to share treats.
If you want to save money without compromising the quality, check my recommendations for everything your golden retriever needs here. I only recommend stuff I’ve used, tested, and found to be great value for money.
Double The Hair Everywhere
Golden Retrievers are heavy shedders, and two dogs will, of course, mean you need to deal with double the hair you normally have to deal with.
You can manage how they shed, but you can’t ever stop them from shedding altogether. You can learn 17 ways to manage golden retrievers shedding here. You can also check the best golden retriever brushes here that can help you control the shedding.
They need more space
Dogs are large dogs and they need their space, and two dogs will need more space than one. They need space to sleep, space to move around, and space to be their own.
I do think that one golden retriever can live just fine in an apartment, but I don’t think two golden retrievers can be happy in an apartment unless it’s really big and has access to the roof or something similar.
Walking Two Dogs Could Be Tricky
Walking a dog is easy but walking two can be quite tricky. Humans are not really good at multitasking, and managing two dogs require a bit of practice to get it right.
It also requires the right tools. I use this Reflective, retractable dog leash which you can get from Amazon here.
I do recommend checking it out because you can’t walk them using two different leashes as they will quickly tangle like headphones that were left in your jeans pocket for a year. I also like that it’s reflective and I can walk them at night and the 360 rotation just makes it so easy to control the dogs.
Playing in the House
While Goldens are generally gentle dogs, they are big dogs and they can knock everything in your house down while they’re running around. Now imagine two large goldens running around while you’re not there and you would know what I’m talking about.
There are ways to handle this, of course. For example, you can leave them in the backyard while you’re out and let them inside once you get back home only, you can give them a dedicated space to play around and train them to stay there while you’re away.
Related Questions
Do Golden Retrievers do better in pairs?
Yes, Golden Retrievers do better in pairs. They can keep each other’s company, learn from each other, and help each other with anxiety and stress. Golden Retrievers can get lonely and having more than one dog can help them entertain each other while you’re not there.
Is it better to have two golden retrievers?
Yes, it is generally better to have two golden retrievers if you have the space and finances to afford two golden retrievers. The two golden retrievers will then be able to keep each other’s company while you’re not there and keep each other entertained.
